Final answer:
The frequency of the simple harmonic oscillator that passes through its equilibrium position once every 2.0 seconds is 0.5 Hz. Amplitude does not influence the frequency or period of the oscillator.
Step-by-step explanation:
The frequency of a simple harmonic oscillator is the number of oscillations it makes per second. Given that the oscillator passes through its equilibrium position once every 2.0 seconds, we can determine the frequency by taking the reciprocal of the period (T).
The period (T) is the duration for one complete cycle of oscillation, so we have T = 2.0 seconds. The frequency (f) is given by f = 1/T, so it would be f = 1/2.0 seconds = 0.5 Hz.
It's important to note that the amplitude of the oscillator does not affect its frequency or period; these are dependent only on other characteristics such as the mass of the system and the force constant of the spring in an oscillator.